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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22670116">The next best thing</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArielAquarial/pseuds/ArielAquarial'>ArielAquarial</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, Mechanic Dean Winchester, Meet-Cute, Sex Toys, dog sitting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:15:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,135</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22670116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArielAquarial/pseuds/ArielAquarial</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam had told Dean that California was different. More liberal, he said. You could walk down the street in a frilly pink dress and no one would bat an eye. Well, Dean wasn’t very interested in wearing a dress, but holding hands with a man without having to be nervous about it? That, he could get behind.</p><p>Or...</p><p>When Dean moved to California, he never expected to stumble upon a man publicly glaring daggers at a dildo. Especially when said neon pink dildo was suctioned to his car door.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester, Jessica Moore/Sam Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>233</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The next best thing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This all stemmed from a conversation over at the Profound Bond Discord back in August 2019. I had a dent in my car and someone suggested hot water and a plunger. I didn’t have a plunger, so I used the next best thing. It…didn’t work, but there are lots of youtube videos where people use the same technique with positive results. Someone posted the convo as a prompt, and a few people went for it. I’m really late for the party, but I finally found it in my WIP folder and couldn’t stop myself from writing it. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dean never expected Sam would stay in California. Sure, Sam loved Stanford, and he mentioned it nearly every phone call between the two, but to actually buy a house? Dean hadn’t seen that coming. The economy wasn’t the greatest, so Dean thought he’d at least get a few months of Sam being home while he searched for a job. He never expected him to find a job in LA right after his internship and settle down with his girlfriend.</p><p> </p><p>All of his hopes and dreams of living in the same neighborhood as Sam immediately flew out the window. He’d always imagined settling down near his brother, if not in the same neighborhood, then at least in the same town. So to not even be in the same state anymore was a little tough on him.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll miss the snow,” Dean tried to reason once Sam finally told him the news.</p><p> </p><p>“If I do, we’ll just rent a cabin in Big Bear,” Sam countered.</p><p> </p><p>Another tactic. “You love barbeque. You’ll never find Kansas Barbeque in California.”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe, but the sushi and Mexican food more than make up for it.”</p><p> </p><p>“But what about—”</p><p> </p><p>“Dean,” Sam interrupted, “I know you’ll miss me, but you’re welcome to visit anytime. You’ll like it here. The beach is only a twenty-minute drive and we have a spare bedroom.”</p><p> </p><p>Once he hung up the phone, he immediately put Sam’s new address into his GPS and prayed. Lawrence, Kansas to Palo Alto, California: 27 hours. His jaw dropped. It would take more than a day to drive to his brother's new home. That wouldn’t work, he told himself. The trip would be two days there, and two days back, then you’d have to tack on the two or three days he’d actually be spending there. Running the numbers in his head, he knew he’d have to take an entire week off just to visit his brother. Bobby was a generous man, especially when it came to family, but there was no way he'd be able to take a week off once a month to see his brother. Every two to three months, maybe, but once a month? That wouldn't work at all.</p><p> </p><p>It only took three months for Dean to crack. Bobby had told him he could take a week off, but a week later, the only other shop in town temporarily closed down due to the owner retiring and everyone who had been going to him moved their business to Bobby’s. Every day, there were new cars being brought into the bay, and with only 4 employees, Bobby couldn’t afford to let anyone take any time off. Two weeks later, Dean found himself on the road, wad of cash in hand and everything he owned in the trunk of his Baby. Bobby told him he was an idjit, but made a few calls on his behalf. Sam scoped out an apartment for him and once he got in contact with his new boss, it was settled.</p><p> </p><p>He spent the first day buying a new mattress, memory foam because he was worth it, and some kitchen appliances. Sleeping and eating were his top priorities. Everything else could wait.</p><p> </p><p>California was <em>expensive</em>. His one-bedroom apartment was $1200 a month, first and last due at signing, and the traffic sucked ass. Sam was a ten-minute drive away, but if he left anytime after 3 pm, it would take him three times as long to get there. One accident on the freeway could mean hours of gridlock. He hated it with a passion and refused to take freeways to work even though it would shave a few minutes off his commute.</p><p> </p><p>Despite the traffic, the weather was fantastic. It was February, and while his home town of Lawrence was covered in a layer of snow, he was on his porch, sipping his morning coffee and looking forward to a day of mid-seventies weather. The sun was shining, there was a slight breeze, and life was good.</p><p> </p><p>A call from Sam interrupted his pleasant morning.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Sammy,” he answered.</p><p> </p><p>“Good morning! You busy?”</p><p> </p><p>Images of a do-nothing Saturday went up in flames. There was only one reason Sam would ask if he was busy. “No, and I don’t want to be. Whatever you want can wait until the workweek starts on Monday.”</p><p> </p><p>Sam audibly sighed. “I don't need you <em>today</em>. Jess and I--”</p><p> </p><p>“So you do need me. I knew it! If it's not today, it's something else. What is it, need me to braid your hair? Paint your toes?”</p><p> </p><p>He attempted to talk over Dean’s yelling. “Jess and I are going to Lawrence for a week to visit Bobby, and we were wondering if you can dog sit?”</p><p> </p><p>Dean sat a little straighter. It was a well-known fact that Dean didn’t really like dogs, but Bones was different. The minute he’d met the little golden retriever puppy, and the stupid thing had tripped over its own legs in excitement trying to get to him, he had fallen in love. Dean maintained that he didn’t like the dog, but he knew that Sam saw his smile when Bones greeted him at the door and heard him telling the dog what a good boy he was. Thankfully, Sam kept his mouth shut.</p><p> </p><p>Still, he had to play his part. “I don’t know, man.”</p><p> </p><p>“Come on, Dean. None of our neighbors can walk him!”</p><p> </p><p>“Not my fault you have shitty neighbors.”</p><p> </p><p>“They’re not ‘<em>shitty.</em>’ They’re just old.”</p><p> </p><p>“You know, there are services you can hire to walk your dogs for you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, and give them a key to my house? No. Besides, Bones loves you.”</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t have a dog in my apartment.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know, and I was hoping you could come down here and watch him. We’re closer to the shop, so you can stay here and save on gas.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean rolled his eyes. The gas he would save from knocking ten minutes off his commute would be negligible. “So you want me to live at your place for a week just so I can walk your dog?”</p><p> </p><p>“Please. It’s either you or a boarding house. I don’t want to do that to Bones, he’s too sensitive.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know…”</p><p> </p><p>“We already set up the guest room.”</p><p> </p><p>He hummed in thought.</p><p> </p><p>“Our avocado tree is ripe. You can have all the avocados you want.”</p><p> </p><p>He almost laughed at that. “I don’t even like avocados…”</p><p> </p><p>“But you <em>love</em> guacamole. Imagine how much guacamole you could have!”</p><p> </p><p>“This is kind of a big deal.”</p><p> </p><p>“You can eat all of our food.”</p><p> </p><p>“Kale and celery?” Dean scoffed. “No thanks.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll leave you money to buy food then,” he compromised. “I just don’t want the house to be empty for an entire week.”</p><p> </p><p>“Let me get this straight…” he began. “You’ll let me live in your house for a week, eat all your food, give me money to buy groceries, and all I have to do is walk Bones and grab your mail?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.”</p><p> </p><p> “I want to run your hot tub the whole time.”</p><p> </p><p>Sam was quiet for a moment. “On one condition. You can’t have sex in the hot tub. As a matter of fact, if I found out you fucked someone in my house, I’ll kill you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Who would I fuck? You said all of your neighbors were old!”</p><p> </p><p>“Remember Cain?”</p><p> </p><p>“That was <em>one</em> time!”</p><p> </p><p>“No fucking in my house, ok?”</p><p> </p><p>Dean grinned. “I would never, bitch.”</p><p> </p><p>“Jerk,” he replied automatically. “So is that a yes?”</p><p> </p><p>Dean pictured himself lounging in their hot tub every night, beer in one hand and his phone open to porn in the other and figured he’d leached as much out of his brother as he could. “Deal.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>When Sam had initially adopted Bones, Dean had rolled his eyes. His brother had always had a knack for bringing home helpless animals. A few cats, a handful of dogs, and most memorably a squirrel. Bones, with his giant head, long limbs, and big fluffy paws, had been different. He even started going to Sam’s house more often just to play with the little pup. While Dean wasn’t his owner, they still had a bond, so when he drove up to Sam’s house and parked in his driveway the next day, Bones immediately started his excited barking from the backyard at the sound of Baby rumbling up the drive.</p><p> </p><p>Sam and Jess had left early that morning, having booked a 7 am flight, so he and Bones had the entire day to themselves. He slung his duffle bag over his shoulder and let himself in. Bone’s barking had moved from the side gate to the back porch, his claws slipping and sliding on their deck as he raced for the sliding glass door that led into the kitchen. With a wide smile on his face, he tossed his bag onto the dining table and approached the back door. Bones' barking turned to frantic yips at the sight of him, and as soon as Dean slid it open, Bones immediately ran in and started jumping on him. The large dog’s paws hooked over his shoulder and his face was licked mercilessly, the dog's body wiggling against him in excitement. He laughed and pushed Bones off of him, knowing that Sam was trying to break that habit and would kill him if they came back a week later and all of their training progress had disappeared.</p><p> </p><p>It took a few moments for Bones to tire himself out, and when he did, Dean went straight to the fridge. A couple of post-it notes were stuck to the door and a few bills were wedged under a magnet along with a note instructing Dean not to blow the money on hookers. Dean scoffed. As if he’d go for a hooker… he was much more likely to visit a strip club. He smirked and put the money in his wallet before opening the fridge and taking stock.</p><p> </p><p>A few mystery leftovers, two crisper drawers full of vegetables, bagged salad, and a few hunks of defrosted meat. He nodded to himself in satisfaction. The meat, at least, would get eaten, and even possibly the leftovers. He picked one up and cracked the lid, revealing homemade macaroni and cheese. Jackpot. He closed the door and grabbed the other note. He scanned the list Sam left him, only really paying attention to the feeding and walking schedule.</p><p> </p><p>Bones nudged his nose at Dean’s leg, begging for attention. He reached down and gave the dog a nice ear scratch. “Sammy says I need to take you out twice a day, is that right?”</p><p> </p><p>Bones gave no indication either way, just continued to sit and stare with his tongue lolling out happily.</p><p> </p><p>“How’s this, then? I have work at 8 am, so I’ll take you around the neighborhood before I go into work, and then again once I get home. Will that be enough for you?”</p><p> </p><p>The dog wiggled excitedly at the mushy tone of Dean’s voice.</p><p> </p><p>“You like that, don’t you? Who's a good boy?” he dropped to his knees and let Bones lick his face. “Who’s a good boy?”</p><p> </p><p>Bones barked loudly and rolled over to his back for belly rubs. “They had you cooped up all morning, huh? What bad parents. Sammy doesn’t deserve you, does he? I should just take you home with me…” Bones leg started kicking at the sensation of Dean’s nails scratching his belly. “Why don’t we do something about that?”</p><p> </p><p>He stood to look around. While the note said he had to take Bones out twice a day, it made no mention of where the leash was kept. He checked Sam’s junk drawer first, but it was a bust.</p><p> </p><p>“Where the hell is your leash?” he wondered out loud.</p><p> </p><p>At the mention of ‘leash,’ Bones went crazy. He yipped and turned in a circle before bolting for the front door. Instead of scratching at the door, he turned to the coat closet and sat, staring at the door as if there was a steak waiting inside. Dean praised the dog before opening the closet and spying the leash and a harness both hanging on a hook. He leashed Bones, pocketed the poop baggies, and headed out the door.</p><p> </p><p>He let Bones choose the direction they went and set off at a nice pace down the street. It was a nice morning, so a lot of Sammy’s neighbors were out doing yard work. Just as Sam had said, all of his neighbors were 60 at the youngest. It wasn't until he crossed over to the next block that he started seeing more middle-aged couples and even a few children running around. Why Sam and Jess hadn’t moved onto a different block, he had no idea. Bones stopped to sniff flower beds and trees, peed on nearly every one of them, and led him in the general direction of the park Dean knew was just a few blocks away. He’d been there before, so he knew there would be no shortage of kids wanting to pet and chase after the dog. It was looking like he was in for a busy morning.</p><p> </p><p>He was only a few houses away from the next intersection when he heard a strange noise. It started out as a rhythmic <em>thump-thump</em> and then a pause before beginning again. His first thought was that it was hammering, or maybe someone practicing on a drum set in the distance. He ignored it and continued his walk with a very determined Bones. Pretty soon, the thumping got louder, and strangely enough, it was accompanied by a wet sounding <em>schwik</em>. Ten feet later, he was close enough to locate the sound.</p><p> </p><p>Dean froze in amazement at the sight that greeted him. Even Bones was content to plop onto the sidewalk and take a small break to stare curiously. A man, no older than Dean, was beating the driver's side door of his car with a neon pink dildo. He blinked, absolutely sure that he was seeing things, but the vision didn’t go away. </p><p> </p><p>Unaware of his audience, the man continued his task. He swore, dunked the suction cup end into a cup to wet it, and slammed it into a small dent. With a tight grip on the shaft, the man pulled. Within seconds, the dildo lost its suction and popped off, leaving behind a wet ring on the gold paint. The man cursed angrily and immediately tried again.</p><p> </p><p>Sam had told Dean that California was different. More liberal, he said. You could walk down the street in a frilly pink dress and no one would bat an eye. Dean had rolled his eyes at the time, sure that wasn’t the case. But standing here, watching a man whack around a pink dildo — a neon one at that — in broad daylight, well… he was starting to believe his brother may have been right. He stared at the bright thing, transfixed. It was reasonably sized and nothing like the monster schlong Charlie gave him as a parting gift when he moved to Palo Alto. Six or seven inches at the most, and a little on the thicker size. It was a pretty realistic dick other than the fact that it was bright pink.</p><p> </p><p>Dean envied the kind of confidence it would take for a man to bring a sex toy out in public like that, in full view of his neighbors and random men walking their dogs. He certainly didn't have the balls to do it, and it made him pay just a little more attention to the strange man.</p><p> </p><p>He took a moment to examine him before he noticed Dean had stopped to stare. He was about Dean’s height with dark brown hair, tipped with gold in the afternoon sun. From his profile, Dean could see that he had a sharp jaw, dotted with stubble, and a straight nose. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he slammed the suction cup into the door, hoping each time that the dent in his Lincoln Continental would budge. His arms flexed with the movement, drawing Dean’s eyes to the muscular arms and broad shoulders. He <em>really</em> wanted a better look at the guy's face. He’d bet anything the man was incredibly handsome.</p><p> </p><p>Was the dildo his? The kind of thoughts and images that he shouldn't be thinking towards strangers started dancing in his head. He shook them out and tightened his grip on the leash. Could it be his wife’s sex toy? That seemed like a more likely scenario. There wasn’t a second car in the driveway, but that didn’t mean much. She could be at work after all. The idea that he might be attached shook him out of his shock and crushed his quickly developing crush on the strange man. He needed to move on and stop staring at the guy like a creeper. With a shake of his head, he darted one last glance to the man’s face, and—</p><p> </p><p>Blue. His eyes were blue and staring right at him. Plush lips parted in surprise, and he let go of the dildo from where it was suctioned to the car. Dean’s eyes immediately went to the sex toy and watched it bob obscenely in the air. As if his gaze had drawn the man's attention to the bobbing dildo too, he gasped and gave it a pull, popping it off the door with a wet <em>schwik</em>. He stood tall and maintained eye contact as they stared each other down.</p><p> </p><p>“Um…” the man said, his voice deep and grumbly.</p><p> </p><p>Dean decided to put him out of his misery. “Do ya need help with that?”</p><p> </p><p>The man glanced down at his hand, the pink silicone dildo dripping water onto the pavement, and looked back at Dean with pink cheeks. “What?”</p><p> </p><p>“The dent,” Dean clarified. “Need help?”</p><p> </p><p>He cleared his throat and glanced at the dent, breaking eye contact. “No, thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean tightened his hold on the leash and took a step away from the man, knowing when he wasn’t wanted. “Ok, well… you might want to take the car in. There’s no way you’ll pop the dent out on your own.”</p><p> </p><p>“I read online that you can use a plunger to pull out dents.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean stopped walking again. With a hesitant step, he ventured onto the man’s driveway and approached him with Bones following happily at his side. He took one look at the dildo hanging from the man’s grip, and then back at him.</p><p> </p><p>The brunette flushed and hid the toy behind his back. “I didn’t have a traditional plunger, so I decided to use the next best thing.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean huffed out a laugh and smiled at him. “A dildo is the next best thing?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve seen it on YouTube,” he reasoned, a small smile working its way onto his face as well. They both chuckled at the absurdity of the situation.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve seen that too, but it’ll never work on your car.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” he sighed and rested his hip on the car, defeat clear on his face. “If I had a better suction cup…”</p><p> </p><p>“No.” Dean shook his head and moved to stand next to the man, confirming his suspicion that they were the same height. He dropped to his knees in front of the door and gave it a hard knock with his knuckles. “This is solid metal. Those videos you’ve seen online? All of the cars are newer and the doors are practically plastic.”</p><p> </p><p>The man followed Dean into a squat. Their arms pressed together for a moment as Cas stared at the dent in his door. The fact that the man didn't jerk away at the contact gave him hope that any flirting from him might not be unwelcome. “I can’t afford my deductible, so I thought…”</p><p> </p><p>He turned to the man, their knees knocking at the movement. Again, the man seemed to pay no heed to the physical contact. “What happened to it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Merging accident. It’s fifty-fifty with the insurance, but I just replaced all of the tires so all my spending money is gone.”</p><p> </p><p>“That sucks.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, it does. It looks like I’m just going to have to deal with it.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean looked at the man, his lips tilted in a frown and a disappointed crease forming between his brows. The sight pulled at his heartstrings and he knew he couldn’t just leave the guy hanging. He had the skills, and if he played his cards right, he might get a friend out of it. If he played his cards <em>extra</em> right, he might get more.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I’m actually a mechanic, but I did all the bodywork on my Impala.” He made eye contact with the man and put on his flirtiest smirk, the one that usually made men blush. “I can help you out if you want.”</p><p> </p><p>The man didn’t react other than moving to stand. “I can't afford it, remember?”</p><p> </p><p>He got to his feet as well and decided that the man was just too stressed about the situation to notice Dean’s flirting. Dean gave him the most obvious once over he’s ever done in his life and winked. “I’m sure we can work something out.”</p><p> </p><p>He squinted at him. “I’m not signing up for any kind of payment program.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean sighed and gave up. “I’ll do it for some pizza and garlic bread.”</p><p> </p><p>The man just stared at Dean in shock. “I don’t even know you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Dean.” He held out his hand to shake. “I’m just down the street.”</p><p> </p><p>“Castiel Novak.” The man — Castiel — shook his hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Now you know me, right?”</p><p> </p><p>Cas smiled at him. “I guess that’s true. Well, now that I know you, maybe I should take you up on that offer. Are you sure I can’t pay you? I don’t have much, but—”</p><p> </p><p>“No way. I told you… pizza and garlic bread. That’s all I need.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s incredibly generous, Dean.”</p><p> </p><p>He flushed at the compliment. “Yeah, well… I like doing this kind of work. You should see my Baby, she was in an accident a few years ago and you’d never be able to tell. Did everything myself.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’d like to see your ‘<em>Baby</em>,<em>’</em> then. After all, I can’t let you touch my car without proof of your skill. Can I have your phone number?” </p><p> </p><p>Dean rambled off the digits, his heart pounding in his chest. Was Cas flirting with him, or was he imagining Cas’s teasing tone? Maybe he <em>did</em> stand a chance. Bones decided to take the opportunity to whimper, drawing both men's attention to him.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, boy.” He reached down and gave Bones a pat on the head before turning back to Cas. “I better get this guy to the park. It was nice meeting you.”</p><p> </p><p>“You too. I’ll be in contact.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean continued their walk with a pep in his step.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Dean stared at his phone the entire time he was at the shop. By two in the afternoon, Cas hadn’t called or texted and he had half-convinced himself he’d misread the entire situation. Shit, that was going to be awkward. He’d have to make sure he walked Bones in the other direction, avoiding Cas’s block completely. The poor dog would be sad he couldn't go to the park anymore, but hopefully, he’d get over it quickly. He should have paid more attention to the signs. Sure, the guy seemed friendly, but he definitely hadn’t been flirty to Dean. It was <em>him</em> that was turning the charm on. </p><p> </p><p>He sighed and threw his phone onto his workbench.  He was thinking too far into things and it wasn’t going to do him any favors. Cas had been the one to ask him for his phone number, after all, so that had to count for something, right? It wasn’t like he forced it on the guy or anything. A few minutes later he almost emptied an oil pan onto his face because he was so distracted. He needed to get himself under control. His third month at the shop hadn’t even passed yet, so he couldn’t afford any mistakes.</p><p> </p><p>Just as he finished replacing the spark plugs on a Chevy Suburban, his phone vibrated loudly against his metal worktable. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Cas:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I’m almost off. Can we meet at 4?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Dean pumped his fist in triumph. He took a deep breath to calm himself before typing out his answer.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Dean:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sure. If I give you my address can you bring her over? I have all of my tools there.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Cas:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Of course.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>What was another white lie? He’d been in Sam’s garage and he knew that he couldn’t use any of those cheap Walmart tools. He’d have to take apart the door, for god’s sake. It would only take him thirty minutes to drive home and grab what he needed.</p><p> </p><p>3:30 found him back at Sam’s, digging through his brother's fridge and trying his hardest to keep himself busy until Cas got there. His plan was to offer the guy some food when he got there, but things were looking bad. He ate the mac and cheese last night, so unless he wanted to eat raw meat or the leftover quinoa salad, he was out of luck. Sam didn’t even have <em>soda</em> in the house. Not for the first time, he cursed his brother’s focus on health. He slammed the fridge shut and huffed. Did he have time to run to the store? Shit, probably not. Even if he left right that second, it would still be a ten-minute drive, and then there was parking and actually finding the things he wanted. There was no way he’d be able to beat Cas back. At least he’d be rewarded with pizza and garlic bread for his work.</p><p> </p><p>He glanced around for something to do. The house was spotless, all the dishes had been washed and put away, and Bones was napping on his dog bed. There was nothing to do but wait. Dean grabbed a glass of ice water and decided to sit out on his porch.</p><p> </p><p>Cas’s Lincoln Continental rumbled up the drive twenty minutes later. He stepped out of his car, aviators perched on his nose and a dark gray button-down shielding him from the chilly breeze. Cas pushed his glasses off of his nose and into his messy hair, offering Dean a shy smile as he approached the porch.</p><p> </p><p>“That must be Baby.” He gestured to the car parked at the curb, shiny and clean with a new wax job.</p><p> </p><p>He stood and held his hand out in greeting. Cas grasped it firmly, and Dean was struck by the differences between Dean’s calloused hands and Cas’s smooth ones. Cas was an office worker, and Dean would bet money on that. “Want me to introduce you two?”</p><p> </p><p>Cas smiled at that. “Sure. I’d love to see her up close.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean led him down the driveway and ran his hand lovingly across her hood. “Baby, this is Cas.”</p><p> </p><p>“Nice to meet you,” Cas told the car, earning a huff of laughter from Dean. “She’s beautiful.”</p><p> </p><p>“Damn right, she is. Baby was in a front end collision about five years ago. The hood was completely crumpled and the engine was toast.”</p><p> </p><p>He walked around the car to examine the front. “This is quite the resume.”</p><p> </p><p>“Your Continental will be as good as new in a few hours.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure I can't pay you? I was looking at my finances, and I could probably offer you a little over $100. I know its not much, but at least it’s something.”</p><p> </p><p>Cas looked so sincere Dean’s heart skipped a beat. “No way. I only accept food as payment.”</p><p> </p><p>“Does your repair shop have the same policy? If so, I've been seeing the wrong mechanic.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean winked at Cas. “That deal is only for the cute ones.”</p><p> </p><p>His face flushed pink. “Oh…”</p><p> </p><p>Dean’s heart dropped at Cas’s embarrassment. “Shit, sorry… Why don’t I grab my tools and —”</p><p> </p><p>Cas seemed to shake himself out of it. “No, I’m sorry. Your comment was unexpected.”</p><p> </p><p>Foot-in-mouth disease, his mom had always called it. Why couldn’t he just keep his damn mouth shut? “Yeah, sometimes I just say shit like that.”</p><p> </p><p>“So you didn’t mean it?”</p><p> </p><p>Oh god, this guy was going to kill him. “Well, no…”</p><p> </p><p>“Ok, then.” He finally said. “I don’t mind.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean stared at him, ‘no fucking in the house’ repeating in his mind on loop. Curse Sam and his stupid rule. “Awesome.”</p><p> </p><p>“So, I think it’s safe to say we have a deal.”</p><p> </p><p>“What?” He asked stupidly, his mind still a mess of possibilities. If the guy was ok with Dean’s horrible attempts at flirting, what else would he be ok with?</p><p> </p><p>“My car. Your work in exchange for pizza. That is unless there’s something else you want from me.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean’s mind was now <em>screaming </em>‘no fucking in the house,’ but the more Cas stared at him, his eyes hooded and full of promise, the less he was paying heed. He considered ditching the repair altogether and giving Cas a tour of the house that ended at the hot tub but dismissed the thought. He could show Cas the hot tub another day, for now, he needed to get the door squared away. “Maybe we can work something out after I finish. Let’s go and look at the car…</p><p> </p><p>Cas led him to the driver's side door and knelt into a crouch. “So what’s the prognosis?”</p><p> </p><p>Dean dropped down beside him. “Well, I can tell by just looking at it that I should just be able to force it back out pretty easily. There’s no creasing in the metal, and it's relatively small. I just gotta open her up.”</p><p> </p><p>“Can I help you with anything?”</p><p> </p><p>Dean turned to give him a once over. “Leave it to me. If you absolutely <em>have</em> to do something, you can entertain me until I’m done.”</p><p> </p><p>“And then we can have the pizza and garlic bread I promised you.”</p><p> </p><p>Cas’s face was so close to his, all he had to do was move an inch and their lips would be touching. He cleared his throat and looked away. “It’s a date.”</p><p> </p><p>He heard Cas exhale in surprise. “Ok.”</p><p> </p><p>His head snapped up. “Ok?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. You’ve been doing nothing but sweeping me off my feet. Of course I’d like to consider this a date, that is, if you’re serious.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I was serious.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ok, then. It’s a date.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean watched a very smug-looking Cas get up and walk over to the steps. He had to mentally shake himself out of it and get to work unbolting the door and taking off the panel and electronics without getting his wires crossed. Once he was staring at the metal frame, his suspicions were confirmed. All it would take was a little over an hour and some gentle work with a hammer to get the door looking good as new.</p><p> </p><p>Cas kept him supplied with chatter as he worked. He found out that Cas was an accountant, and although his job was boring at times, he really did like it. His math degree had been a long, hard process, but it got him a good job and allowed him to afford a house in a nice neighborhood. He’d been living a few blocks from them for over five years, and Dean wondered if Cas ever met his brother.</p><p> </p><p>“So,” Cas started once Dean began the process of bolting the door back together, “I want to take you out for coffee tomorrow as another little thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t need to do that. Get me a meat lover's pizza with a side of garlic bread and we’re even.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know, but I’d like to.”</p><p> </p><p>“Seriously, don’t trouble yourself, I—”</p><p> </p><p>“Dean…”</p><p> </p><p>“—don’t need you to make it up to me any more than—” </p><p> </p><p>“Let me take you out for coffee.” He growled in annoyance, his tone just shy of a command.</p><p> </p><p>Dean’s eyebrow shot up. “Yes, sir.”</p><p> </p><p>Cas laughed at himself. “Sorry, I was trying to ask you on a date. It seems like I’m a little rusty.”</p><p> </p><p>“So, you’re not only buying me dinner, but you want to take me out for coffee tomorrow too? You must really like me,” Dean teased.</p><p> </p><p>“I do, and that’s surprising considering the way we met…”</p><p> </p><p>Dean nodded sagely. “Pink car didlos…”</p><p> </p><p>“If anyone asks, you’re not to tell them about the dildo.”</p><p> </p><p>“Aw, Cas. I can't believe you’d want me to lie like that.”</p><p> </p><p>“We’ll tell people my car broke down on the side of the road and you helped me like a knight in shining armor.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re a big flirt. You don’t seem very rusty to me.”</p><p> </p><p>“You inspire me.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean flushed and went back to tightening bolts. “Rusty people skills, my ass…” He tightened the last bolt and let the door swing shut, revealing a smooth and undented door. “Ta-da!”</p><p> </p><p>Cas shot to his feet and rushed over, gaping at his work. “Wow, Dean, this is amazing!”</p><p> </p><p>He started packing his tools for something to do. “Yeah, well…”</p><p> </p><p>“How about I order some pizza?”</p><p> </p><p>Dean’s stomach let out a loud growl in answer. “That sounds great. Wanna come in?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sure. You still need to introduce me to that handsome golden retriever I saw you with yesterday.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean opened the door and let Cas in. “Be prepared… he’s a licker.”</p><p> </p><p>“So am I.” Cas rumbled suggestively.</p><p> </p><p>Blood started pumping to his dick, and he had to physically force himself to relax. <em>No fucking in the house, Dean.</em></p><p> </p><p>Cas entered the front room and glanced around curiously. “You have a lovely home.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t live here,” Dean corrected.</p><p> </p><p>Cas froze mid-step and looked at him, dumbfounded.</p><p> </p><p>The expression was so cute that it took him a moment to realize how that had come off. “Don’t worry. I’m house-sitting for my brother. This isn’t some random person’s house I’m squatting in with my dog.”</p><p> </p><p>He took a tentative step forward. “Will he be comfortable with a stranger in his house?”</p><p> </p><p>Well, Sam hadn’t explicitly told him he <em>couldn’t </em>have guests over. The only stipulation regarding people in his house was that he couldn’t fuck them. “I can have guests over, it’s fine. Come on, I’ll introduce you to Bones, and then we can order some pizza.”</p><p> </p><p>Just as he expected, Bones jumped on Cas the minute he opened the door. Thankfully, Cas seemed to take the attention in stride and gave the dog some gentle head rubs before pushing the dog off of him. They spent a few moments giving the dog attention before Cas excused himself to order pizza. When he was done, Dean turned on Netflix while they waited for the pizza to arrive.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think I can thank you enough for your help.”</p><p> </p><p>He waved the compliment away. “It's nothing.”</p><p> </p><p>“It's not <em>nothing</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“I would’a done it for anyone.”</p><p> </p><p>“That just proves that you’re a very generous man.”</p><p> </p><p>He was starting to get warm under the collar at all of the praise. “I don’t see the point in not helping if I can. That’s the way my mom raised me and my brother.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sounds like an amazing woman.”</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, he couldn’t take it anymore and leaned in for a kiss. Cas made a noise of surprise and immediately opened to it. Their lips met in a slick slide, giving and taking in turn before tilting their heads for an all-new angle. They continued for a few minutes, lost in the feel of each other, uncaring that Bones was sniffing at their knees and begging for attention.</p><p> </p><p>The ringing of his doorbell brought him back to reality. Cas pulled away with a sound of annoyance and rushed to the door. Once the pizza was paid for and the delivery man was tipped, he set the pizza on the table and leaned in for another kiss.</p><p> </p><p>Dean allowed him to continue for a minute before pulling away. “Can we take this party to your place? It feels weird doing this here…”</p><p> </p><p>Cas looked around as if remembering Dean was in his brother's house. “I definitely understand. Come on, let's head to my place. Will Bones be ok alone for the night?”</p><p> </p><p>“For the night?” he repeated. Did that mean what he thought it meant?</p><p> </p><p>Cas nodded slowly, his pink tongue swiping out to lick at his bottom lip. “You should grab a change of clothes.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean rushed to the spare room, eager as hell to get over to Cas’s place. Sam might have said that he couldn’t fuck anyone in the house, but he never said anything about fucking in his <em>neighbor's</em> house…</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As always, drop a comment and let me know what you think!!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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